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There's a reason some fundraising stories feel easier to tell than others. Stories about animals, "grateful" clients, and non-political solutions raise money quickly because they tap into what donors already believe about who deserves help. But what happens when those easy stories erase the complexity and humanity of the people you actually serve?
On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, host Maria Rio sits down with Esther Lee, a fundraising and equity strategist who's part of the inaugural Community-Centric Fundraising Global Council and a leader of the Asian Fundraisers in Canada Collective.
The Highlights:
- The "Ideal Victim" Framework: Esther introduces sociologist Nils Christie's concept of who society deems "deserving" of compassion; those seen as weak, vulnerable, respectable, and harmed by a clearly bad offender. Sound familiar? Nonprofits unconsciously replicate these biases every time we sanitize stories to make donors comfortable.
- The Dog Campaign That Never Was: When Esther and her team of survivors gave extensive input on an intersectional campaign, the contractor delivered a direct mail piece featuring a cartoon dog. The entire appeal hinged on the shelter's pet program, completely erasing the refugee, immigrant, harm-reduction clients they actually served. It would've raised money but she refused to send it.
- What Gets Left Out When You Lead with Pets: Every time Esther talked about the shelter's pets, donations poured in. But when she talked about systemic poverty, substance use, or the reality of being a newcomer survivor in Toronto's housing crisis? Uneasiness. The pattern revealed who donors saw as "deserving" of help or not.
- Audit Your Storytelling Practices: Esther challenges listeners to look at who gets featured in newsletters, grant applications, and appeals. Are you sharing the full scope of challenges? Or are you scared to talk about complexity because you're trying to cultivate a donor base that wants simple stories?
- The Cost Beyond Revenue: If you only measure success by money raised and ignore the trust you're losing with your community, staff, and the people you serve—that's a cost you can never fix. Esther asks: What metrics are you using? And who are you leaving out of your stories?
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